By MARGIE TRAX PAGE - Staff Writer - mtrax@starbeacon.com
GENEVA — It could cost as much as $1.3 million to fix problems with the construction of Geneva High School, Superintendent Mary Zappitelli said, money the district will try to recoup through litigation.
Workers have been on the job since September to fix the school’s curtain wall windows, stage doors, courtyard drainage and to repair the metal roofing, insulation, and drainage at the front and rear entrances of the building and along the sidewalks, Zappitelli said.
The work was done by Berea-based contracting company Blaze Construction Inc., Zappitelli said.
Zappitelli said the building was inspected last year and several problems were identified.
The board voted, by “urgent necessity,” in September to have the problems fixed, even bypassing the competitive bidding process to expedite the jobs.
“The board is united in the effort to do what is necessary to make things right,” Zappitelli said. “The board knows this is their responsibility and they will not shirk from it.”
“But the expense, well, the expense is significant,” she said.
The cost of the repairs will be funded through Classroom Facilities Assistance Program (CFAP) through the Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC), Zappitelli said.
“But the board is prepared to take whatever steps necessary to recover the cost,” she said.
Representatives for Blaze Construction, which is owned by Ferris Kleem, could not be reached for comment, Tuesday.
This isn't the first problem the district has had with Blaze Construction. The final touches on the new high school were made without the company and R.P. Carbone project manager Ben Pintabona used a different contractor to finish various Blaze Construction projects on the building.
The district threatened to withhold $175,0 00 in payments to Blaze Construction until the job was done right.
In addition, the district asked the contractor to repair faulty flooring in the academic wing of the high school.
Zappitelli said the floor was replaced at no cost to the district.
Whatever the case, Blaze Construction is no longer employed by Geneva Area City Schools, Zappitelli said.
“Blaze knows exactly what is going on and they are not employed for any of our other building projects,” she said.
The board of education will vote to assume responsibility for the $1.3 million repair bill in tonight’s board of education meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the high school, according to the meeting agenda, and hold an executive session at the end of the meeting to discuss “a pending legal issue,” the agenda reads.
